Timing device for ignition systems.



O. T. MASON.

TIMING DEVICE FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS.

Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED 00T,4, 1911.

c. T. MASON. TIMING DEVICE FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED OCTA, 1911. 1,047,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

w W arm ZZZ. W

,4 TTOBIVE) Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

shaft. Fig.

CHARLES TQMASON, OF SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA.

TIMING DEVICE FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. October 4, 1911. Serial No. 652,706.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES THOMAS MASON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Sumter, in the county of Sumter and State of SouthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in TimingDevices for Ignition Systems; and I do hereby clear, and exactdescription, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and the letters and figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this. specification.

My invention relates to timing devices for ignition systems used withinternal combustion engines and particularly those systemsin which analternating current dynamo,

commonly known as a magneto is used, and consists of means whereby thecurrent from the magneto is always utilized while at its maximum or peakfor producing the spark, whether same is in the'advance or retardposition.

Heretotore it has been very diiiicult to use magnetos for ignitionsystems where the time of the spark is varied becausethe current fromthe magneto being alternating in character, at each revolution therewould be produced two peaks or points of maximum current strength, andtwo points where the current would be zero, and if the engine igniterwas timed to produce the spark with the magneto at the pea in thestarting position, it was impossible to advance the spark as this wouldget the igniter out of range of the peak of the magneto and no spark ora very weak one would be produced. My invention obviates this difficultyand permits of the maximum strength of current from-the magneto beingutilized with the igniter in both starting and running positions.

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a-magneto driven by means of gearsand equipped with my timing device. Fig. 2 is a view of the timingdevice in section. Fig. 3 is a plan view in elevation of my inventionadapted for use where the magneto is driven by a l is a diagramhereinafter referred to as illustrating the manner in which the timingfeature of my invention is accomplished.

The same letters and figures of reference declare thefollowing to be afull,

k and the engine denote the same parts wherever they are shown.

1 is a knob or handle for operating the device which is held in positionby means of a screw 2, tension beingplaced on this screw by means ofspring 3 which rests against the shoulder formed in piece 4.

Loosely mounted on piece 4 is the collar..5 on which is mounted the gearwheel 6, which is attached to the collar by screws or in any othersuitable manner. In the collar, are two grooves, 7 and 8, which may bespaced at any desired distance apart, the usual distance being 30degrees. The entire structure is mounted on the shaft of the magneto 9,being securely held by means of'the set screw 10 or in any other manner.

In the face portion of the knob member 1, is placed a pin 11, and it isobvious that by pulling outwardly on knob 1, pin 11 may be moved fromslot 7 into slot 8, or vice versa. This turns piece 4 and the armatureshaft 9 connected thereto in relation to the gear wheel 6, and it istherefore possible to vary the relation of the m'agneto in regard to therevolutions of the gear 12 which is driven in definite time 'with theengine.

With someengines, the magneto must be mounted in an inaccessibleposition where it would be hard to reach the knob to operate my timingdevice and it is also sometimes advantageous to drive the magneto from ashaft in line-with the armature shaft, thereby eliminating the gears,and to meet these requirements, I use the type of mechanism shown inFig. 3 which is substantially the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2,except a movable collar 13 is used in place of and Patented Dec. 24,1912. 7

performs the same function as the knob 1 in r Fig. 2.

Collar 13 is operated by a lever 14 which is pivoted at 15, and whichmay be operated either by hand direct, or by means of a rod or wire.Pulling on this lever causes it to bear against the face of 13, whichdisengages the pin 16 from the slot 7 or 8 in Whichever it may be, thuspermitting the disk 13 with the armature shaft connected thereto to berevolved by hand, or the shaft 17 to be turned to vary the timing. Toenable the operation of my device to be thoroughly understood I refer toFig. t showing in theory the relative position of the armature of themagneto in relation to the timing of an engine having 30 degrees sparkadvance. The side of the armature is shown in solid color to showclearly that same has made one complete revolution taking successivelythe positions shown in B and C. In A the pin 11 which is connected tothe drising portion of "my mechanism is shown in slot 7, and thereforethe armature which is connected to piece 5 in which the aforesaid slotis formed is in the position for producing the maximum engine in theretarded position. Desiring now to advance the spark on the engine torunning position bearing in mind that the relative position of thearmature of the magneto in relation to its pole pieces must be kept thesame, knob 1 carrying pin 11 is drawn outwardly thereby allowing piece 5containing the slots 7 and 8 to stand still until pin 11 takes upagainst the shoulder of slot 8. This has allowed the engine to revolvethrough 150 degrees, the armature remaining still, thus restarting thearmature at an advance of 30 degrees with regard to the original firingposition of the engine and utilizing the opposite peak of the generativecycle. This feature of retarding the magneto when advancing the engine,thereby utilizing one peak of thegenerativc cycle for starting and theother peak Oil the gcnm'ative cycle tor running is a feature that lfleem of great importance, as heretofore to apply the feature of timing,using an alternating current" dynamo, use has been made of springs,cams, eccentrics, and other complicated devices made necessary by thefact that the magneto had to be thrown forward in the same direction itwas being turned and while in motion, All of these devices are renderedunnecessary by my in- =hznd it torkwise,

vention,

.l rom the above, it will be seen that to start the engine using myinvention with .gear drive as shown in Fig. 1, it is necessary to placethe sparking mechanism on the engine in starting position, then pull outknob 1 and turn same as far forward is it will go in the direction inwhich the engine is goii'ig to run. After the engine is started and thespark mechanism on the engine is changed to running position, the knob iis pulled out by placing fingers heas shown in Fig. 1, thus pern'iittingthe magneto to automatically advance as just described so that themaxiiu un spark will be produced in the advanced position to correspondwith the changed position of the sparking device on the engine. knob 1must be'pulled out ward as just described.

' In casethe direct drive as shown in .F 3 is used, the operation isexactly the same except that in place of the knob 1, the lever 14% isoperated to bear against the knurled disk 13 which should be turned asfar forand turned forspark with the Each time the engine is started ningthe operation of lever 14 will bring the magneto in range of the firingposition of the engine as previously described.

Vhile l have shown but one form of mechanism for accon'iplislring myspecial n'ietl'iod of timing and only two methods of operating same, itis evident to those skilled in the art, that other mechanicalequivalents may he used without departing from my invention, and whilethe foregoing descripition at operation covers my invention as 1 usedwith a make and break ignitor engine, I

[ward as it will go. After engine is runit is obvious that the ordinaryjump spark n'iagneto and spark plugs may be used with whatever in themethod 0t out any change operation, or the mechanism herein de' scribed.

Having thus described my invention, it claim 1. in a timing device forignition systems, a source of power, an alternating current dynan'iodriven thereby, a Z-part ecupling between said dynamo and source ofpower, and means interposed between said two part coupling for engagingand disengaging the parts of said coupling for a delinite portion of arevolution whereby either peak of the alternating current maybe'utilized.

2. In a timing device for ignition systems, in ,combination with adynamo a timing member in two parts, said parts movably connectedtogether, a collar carried by sea. {lining inen'iber, driving means onsaid coiiar, and means interposed between said collar and timing memberwhereby the motion of one is imparted to the other 3. In a timing devicefor ignition systems, in combination with a dynamo a timing member in.two parts, a ring between said parts, a free collar carried by saidparts, radial slots in said collar, projecting pins i the timing member,and means for engaging and-disengaging said slots and pins.

a 4.. In a timing device for ignition systems, an alternating currentdynamo, a collar on the armature shaft of said dynamo, a sleeve on saidcollar, and means connecting said sleeve and collar whereby thecollarmay be held during part of a revolution of the I sleeve forthepurpose of varying the time ct ignition.

A timing device for ignition systems colnprising an alternating currentgenerator H type shuttle-wound armature, a shaft closing the end of saidshoulder and eartherefor, means for driving said shaft, and needthereby, a ring interposed between said means on said shaft for varyingthe position of the armature in relation to the driving source wherebycurrent from either peek of the alternating current may be utilized forignition in time with the advance or retard position. of the engineigniter.

7. A timing device for ignition systems comprising a collar having ahorizontally projecting shoulder, a rotatable sleeve can ried on saidshoulder, an end member inend member and said shoulder e horizoiitalprojection in said end member toward said sleeve, and a groove in saidsleeve edjacent said projection.

in testimony whereof I hereunto my signature in the presence of twoWitnesse GHARLES 'i. MASUN; Witnesses:

H. E. VAN DEvENTEii, SI 0. MGKEOWHQ

